A near-perfect Christmas day

I hope your Christmas Day was as wonderful as ours. We spent the first hour or so waiting for stragglers to awaken so we could open the mammoth pile of gifts under the tree—seventeen people make for a lot of presents.

dinner rols ready to bake

Christmas isn't Christmas without cheeseball

But the best part of the day was yet to come. Most of us spent it in the kitchen cooking together. Christian did a turkey in the air fryer; Dylan spatchcocked a smaller turkey, seasoned it with herbs, and did it in the oven. Megan made her classic apple pies, and Lisa her green bean casserole and the northern-style bread stuffing I love. Christian helped me with my mother’s roll recipe—it takes three risings, rolling out by hand, a lot of work and it makes a lot of mess.Melanie made a coconut meringue pie and washed a ton of dishes, including four cookie sheets.

We stumbled over each other in the kitchen and drank wine or some kind of drink made with Prosecco. We tasted and tested and commented. Gravy was a communal effort, the dripp8ngs from Christian’s turkey plus some prepared bought from HEB and seasoning decided upon by all. Christmas music played—all the old favorites from what sounded to me like Bing himself. Snacks were put out—the traditional cheeseball, a jalapeno dip, sausage and cheese, and children wandered in and out, wondering when dinner would be ready and what could they snack on and could thy please have a real Bellini. The answers were soon and chasse and no to the Bellini.

our bountifulbuffet

Dinner was great—the turkey moist, the gravy rich and plentiful, the potatoes smooth and creamy. An updated green bean casserole, a broccoli-rice casserole, truffle mac and cheese. And that ubiquitous cranberry sauce from can. Apple pie, coconut meringue pie, wine cake—who could ask for more. And an all-hands effort to clear the table, ended with Jamie doing what he likes to do alone—cleaning the kitchen.

Now it feels like midnight, though it’s barely past eight, and there’s a rousing card game going on, with most kids involved. Others are sitting by the fire, and a few ventured out into the evening cool.

Yep, it’s as near perfect as any Christmas I’ve known in my long years. Whatever your faith and preference, I hope the holiday message of love and hope sings as clear and loud at your house as it does at mine.

The Ubiquitous Christmas Card

Have you noticed that you get fewer Christmas cards today than you did twenty or thirty years ago? I have, but I’m not surprised because it’s been several years since I sent out cards.

Years ago, it was my Thanksgiving mission to address some 75-80 cards; often I tucked in the much-criticized Christmas letter. Most years I got cards from friends of my parents or aging relatives, and the year the card didn’t come, I knew they had passed on. My list dwindled, changed. 

I gradually shortened my list, cut out the letter, and finally quit. No more rushing to Hallmark on December 26 to buy next year’s cards at half price. I think there are several reasons—ten years ago I became a blogger, and friends who read my blog keep up with me and my children. My handwriting has gone south as I age, and truthfully Christmas preparations seem to take more and more time. And I don’t even cook Christmas dinner any more—we either do it as a family, when we have Alter Christmas, or I am a guest at a child’s home where I pitch in but am surely not responsible for the entire dinner. I remember the days when we opened presents, cleaned up the mess, and then the kids went to a movie while I cooked dinner.

But I digress. I was talking about Christmas cards. I treasure those I get, especially Christmas letters (I do like to keep up with friends) and those family pictures. I don’t think back in the day we ever considered sending pictures of our family at Christmas. It’s a lovely custom. The dwindling of cards is to me just another beloved tradition that is going away—someday it will be as old a memory as wearing white gloves to church (yes, I’m that old—I remember wearing them).

These days I sometimes respond to special cards with an email message. But if you send me a card and don’t hear from me, please know that I am grateful to have the card, and I send you my best wishes for blessings of the season.